What to do about Juneuary

With a high-pressure ridge in the Pacific Ocean pushing all precipitation away from California, Sierra residents must come to grips with the love-hate relationship we now share with the new month called “Juneuary”. What are we to do when the weather is warm but the days are short? Here are some tips to help enjoy this warm weather in the middle of winter.

Get out and embrace it! From what I’ve seen, many are doing this already, but make sure you take time during the weekends or days off to enjoy the warm weather. Biking, hiking (sans snowshoes), running, or even climbing is now no longer reserved for the ‘hardcore winter training athlete’ and can be enjoyed by regular people. Take time to enjoy the fact that you can walk your dog without having to pile on seven different layers like you’re preparing for an arctic expedition.

Enjoy some mid-season spring skiing! It’s more important than ever now to support local ski areas during this drought. With conditions as they are, spring skiing is less about serious ski turns and all about enjoying some quality goof-off time with friends. Get up on the slopes, enjoy watching all the spring skiing costumes whiz by, and spend some quality time not taking things seriously. With the way the drought is, most people don’t know whether to cry or laugh. I suggest we choose laughing as often as possible.

Though the days are still short, you can be active even after the sun has set. Indoor activities are becoming more and more varied. If you're in the Truckee/Tahoe region, spend some time at Woodward in their indoor trampoline park, or drive to Reno to enjoy indoor go-karting. There’s also yoga and crossfit classes available after you get done with work, and many climbing gyms are open late as well. And when you don’t feel like working up a sweat, there’s lots of evening community events to learn more about your sport of choice or just meet other locals. The Sierra Avalanche Center puts on training courses and events multiple times a month, and one look through a local magazine like Moonshine Ink will provide a wealth of concerts and movies. Just because it’s dark outside doesn’t mean your mood has to be dark as well.

Finally, get yourself out for a road trip! With the roads free of snow, you can enjoy traveling again without worrying about skidding off into someone’s front yard. Take full advantage of this by traveling through the countless great places the Sierra has to offer. Bonus points if you plan your trip using the Geotourism website to see all the hidden gems that get you off the beaten path.

As the saying goes, if you can’t beat them, join them. There’s many ways to enjoy Juneuary even if you’re not excited about it. Might as well have fun while the warm weather lasts! When the snow eventually does come, you can be just as glad for the time you spent during these warm weeks as you can be for the cold ones.